Uses two most diametrically different contiguous Congresses in the last half century to explore the strategies likely to maximize substantive representation of women - irrespective of women's proportional presence

The Impact of Women in Congress

Debra L. Dodson

Description

This is a major new assessment of the impact of women members of the US Congress on public policy and Congress itself. Drawing on three key case studies--reproductive health, women's health, and health policy--from the 103rd and 104th Congresses, Dodson highlights the complex forces that shape what women members do and their influence on the institution.

The Impact of Women in Congress

Debra L. Dodson

Reviews and Awards

"The title understates the scope of this book. While students of Congress indeed should read this book - and not only those interested in women - so should those concerned about policymaking, representation, and new approaches to studying institutions. Its conclusions are sophisticated and nuanced, and illuminate all of these fields...The book provides a suitably complex framework for understanding a major change under way in representation, policy making, and institutional power."--Political Science Quarterly